Virginia Fishing Report. Tautog catches have been very good for those targeting sheepshead at the CBBT. They have had to release those fish but that changed as of September 20 when the tautog season re-opens. While tautog opens up, sea bass closes for a month. The sea bass season is closed as of September 22. The other season changes include the closure of cobia…make sure to get your catch reports in….and the opening of the bay striped bass season on October 4.

Virginia fishing for striped bass has not been all that good for big stripers. There are a lot of small striped bass in the bay. Last fall, they were mostly too small to keep. This fall, there will be a lot 20-plus inch available. We are having very good spot run. Nice spot are being caught in all of the rivers and inlets. Speckled trout and puppy drum are on the flats and around anywhere there is grass. Any dock with a light on it is a good location to look for specks, pups, and striped bass. Big red drum are being caught at the CBBT.

Spanish mackerel continue to be caught along the oceanfront along with false albacore. The coastal wrecks are holding sea bass, triggerfish and flounder. Just remember the sea bass closure.

The offshore bite is mixed-bag. Billfish are being caught but it has not been the epic September bite we have become used to. Dolphin, wahoo and some tuna are being caught. It is a good time to try for swordfish. Bottom fishing is producing good catches of tilefish and some grouper.

The next Peninsula Salt Water Sport Fisherman’s Association tournament will be the Grafton Fishing Supply Spot Tournament September 23 and 24. It will conclude with a club picnic at Dare Marina on September 24. Bring your spot to the picnic to be weighed-in (and eaten). The awards for July’s Youth and Ladies Tournament will also be presented at the picnic.